Bag-catcher for postal cars.



No. 637,962. Patented Nov. 28, I899. T. E. HENDRICKS.

BAG CATCHER FOB POSTAL CARS.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNiTsn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THURN EARL HENDRICKS, OF AUSTIN, ARKANSAS.

BAG-CATCHER FOR POSTAL CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,962, dated November 28, 1899. Application filed April 1, 1899. Serial No- 711,454. (No model.)

To aid whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THURN EARL HEN- DRICKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Austin, in the county of Lonoke and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag-Catchers for Postal Cars and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of the specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a sideview of the machine in position to take and leave the mail and turn away from the track with the mail-sack left. Fig. 2 represents a top view of the machine, also in position to take and leave the mail. Fig. 3 represents a shoulder or brace to be placed in the small holes in the top of plate on the top of the post as a brace or support to arm K to catch the force of the sack left.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The revolving shaft M is a shaft adapted to be placed on a mail-post revolving on a point at the bottom, to which are firmly attached lower and upper arms K, upper arm K being pivotally attached to the top. Its use is to revolve and carry away from the track the machine, together with the mail'sack left. This is accomplished by means of the weight, pulley, and cord P. The same thing may be accomplished by means of spiral springs attached to the shaft.

The plate 0 is a plate securely attached to the top of the mail-post, with a hole or slot S near its outer edge. Its use is to catch and hold the point of plunger N until the mail is taken and left.

The plunger N is a rod or bar pivotally attached to upper arm K and passing through or near the lower arm K, with its point so adjusted as to drop in the hole or slot S. Its use is to hold the machine in position while set for the purpose of taking and leaving the mail. Upper arm K is an arm pivotally attached to the shaft M, and is so adjusted by means of extra weight in the rear that the weight of the sack in front will hold it down and the point of the plunger N in the hole or slot S in the top of the plate. The weight on the end of the upper arm K opposite the sack is sufficient, upon the liberation of the sack, to

cause the front of arm K to rise and disengage the point of plunger N from the plate and allow the machine to revolve out of the way of the cars.

The small pegs or pulleys V are small pegs or pulleys adapted to be placed one on each side of the top of the post. Their use is to catch the cord when the machine revolves in position to take and leave the mail, thereby forming a fulcrum,givingleverage to the cord and weight to start the machine to revolve.

The cord, pulley, and weight is a cord attached to lower arm K and passes around a pulley on top of the post, with a weight at+ tached to the end of the cord in the rear of the machine. Its use is to cause the machine to revolve away from the track when it has taken and left the mail.

The shoulder or brace T, Fig. 3, is a brace or shoulder adapted to be placed on top of the plate in the holes R R. Its use is to sup port lower arm K against the force of the sack left and is adjustable to either side of the plate, as may be required.

The cord to be inserted and used in the machine consists of a cord one end of which is securely attached to a button and the other hanging so as to form a loop to be looped around the mail-sack.

The machine takes and leaves the mail in the following manner: When not in use, the arms stand away from the track. It will revolve either way, as required. To place the machine in position for taking and leaving the mail, first place the shoulder or brace T in the holes R R in the plate on the side away from the coming train. Then place the button attached to the cord, which is attached to the sack to be taken, on the upper guides E E on upper arm K, allowing the cord to hang between the guides E E on the lower arm K, observing to always hang the sack on the side toward the coming train. Then turn the machine toward the approaching train until the end of the plunger N drops in the hole or slot S, with lower arm K against (or nearly so) the shoulder-brace T, where the machine is held by the point of the plunger and is in position to take and leave the mail. Arm 0 in the car-door stands in a vertical position when not in use. The messenger places the button of the cord attached to the sack to be left on the guides E E on arm 0 on the side back from posts and lowers arm O to a horizontal position, and the guides of arm 0, passing between the guides of arm K on the post, taking and leaving the mail. The removal of the weight of the sack taken allows upper arm K to rise and liberate the point of the plunger and the machine revolves out of the way, carrying the mail-sack left with it.

I claim- 1. In a bag-catcher for postal cars the combination of the revolving shaft adapted to be placed in a vertical position on a mail-post with the arms K, plunger N, and weight and pulley P, substantially as set forth.

2. In abag-catcher for postal carsaholding and releasing means consisting of arms K, plunger N pivotally attached to the upper arm K and plate 0 for the purpose set forth.

3. In a bag-catcher forpostal cars a holding means adapted to be placed on a mail-post consisting of a plate securely attached to the top of a mail-post containing ahole or slot to catch and hold plunger N, and containing means of holding a shoulder or brace for the purposes set forth.

4. In a bag-catcher for postal cars, the combination of the lower arm-K, with a cord, weight and pulley P, and pulleys V placed one on each side of the top of the post the cord being so adjusted as to swing against either of these pulleys according as it swings to either side of the machine, substantially as described.

THURN EARL HENDRICKS.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. LEWIS, D. C. BLANKINSHIP. 

